Glimpse of agricultural life in Iraq
by Patti Drapala
Chief Warrant Officer III Christopher Russell “Rusty” Crowe recently returned to his job as Environmental Scientist at
the Bureau of Plant Industry after completing a year of active military service in “Operation Enduring Freedom.” Crowe
served as a “Pilot in Command” with the United States Army 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment and flew the OH-58 D(R) model “Kiowa Warrior” helicopter on more than 350 combat missions during the war with Iraq. The Messenger talked with Crowe
about his observations of agriculture in Iraq.
Messenger: What type of weather conditions must farmers in Iraq deal with?
Crowe: The climate in Iraq is basically moderate-to-cold winters and hot, dry summers. I saw very little rainfall while
I was there. The farmers have water brought in by truck or by irrigation pipe or they plant their crops in areas where water
is more plentiful, such as the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In fact, the only places where you see “green” are
near the river banks or at irrigation points. Otherwise, you are looking at a vast, dry, dusty desert.
Messenger: Were there other environmental problems you observed that could affect Iraqi agricultural production?
Crowe: The dust storms are really bad. They come out of nowhere and the winds are “gale force” in strength. Dust goes
everywhere - in your eyes, mouth and down your throat.
Messenger: What are some of the agricultural commodities you saw produced in Iraq?
Crowe: A large part of the agricultural production is sheep. I literally saw thousands upon thousands of sheep. The farmers
who raise the sheep are nomads. They and their families constantly move the sheep from place to place in search of vegetation
for grazing and water. Some of the farmers also have dogs they use to herd the sheep. This constant moving is their
daily existence.
Messenger: Did you see other livestock being raised?
Crowe: I saw very few cattle. I did see lots of chickens and pigeons. Some of the people had donkeys, goats and camels,
of course. With the desert conditions, the farmers have to truck in water for their livestock, which, again, is mainly sheep.
Messenger: What crops are grown?
Crowe: The most intense agricultural production that I saw was along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. I saw
makeshift pumps placed in the rivers and pipes run from the pumps to carry water to the crops. In many ways, the irrigation
systems used in Iraq are very similar to those used by our farmers in the United States and Mississippi. I did see agricultural
crops being raised that are familiar to many Mississippians: corn, oats, rye and even some soybeans. There were
also date plantations in production near the river banks. Many vegetables, such as watermelons, tomatoes and squash were
being grown near the rivers also.
Messenger: Do Iraqi farmers have farm equipment available?
Crowe: Believe it or not, I did see a few “John Deere” and “Massey-Ferguson” tractors. Very few had climate control
cabs. The “largest” tractor motor I saw was about 90 horsepower. Most of the agricultural labor is done by hand. People
there are very poor and have to harvest their own grain to make the bread they eat. To clean wheat, they toss the seed into
the air to blow away the chaff.
Messenger: What are your overall impressions of Iraqi farm life?
Crowe: Iraqi farmers are basically good farmers. They tend to their crops and are in their fields from sunrise to sundown.
The only time you didn’t see them working was on their holy day of the week when they would be worshipping at the
mosques. They’re very knowledgeable about agricultural production and are capable of producing good crops. Very little, if
anything, they use to produce a crop - water, seed and fertilizer - goes to waste. Under the old political regime, Iraqi farmers
had no system in place to produce agricultural commodities for export. Hopefully, once a new government is in place,
they will be able to resume the export of agricultural products. DBJ
